T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S Contrast Stephen and Saul: Stephen’s death, in the eyes of the world, was sad, — but in God’s eye, glorious. The be ginning of Saul’s life in the world’s eye, was glorious,-—but in God’s eye, it was sad. ( b ) Samaria Evangelized. This was according to the command of the Lord,— Jerusalem, Judea, Sar maria. The Samaritans were a kind of half- breeds (2 Ki. 17:24-29), partly Jews and partly Gentiles. A kind of “ half way house” between those in the coven ant and those outside. It was but a step to the Samaritans from Judaism,— a preparatory step to the bridging of the great gulf which separated the Jew from the Gentile. This may account for the fact of their preservation for six hundred years in such close prox imity to Jerusalem. 1. The Preparation: The Master Himself had prepared the way by preaching to the .Samaritan woman, (John 4:25, 26), and by commanding His disciples to go to them (Acts 1 :8), and assuring them of fruit (John 4:35, 36): “ Say not ye, There are four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white al ready to the harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” 2. The Preacher: Philip, a fellow servant of Stephen, was his successor. He was a Greek-speaking Jew,:—not an apostle. (John 1:44.) One of the com mon disciples, (Acts 6 :5). He was an evangelist. An evangelist is one who announces the tidings of salvation,— not a privileged class, but it is the priv ilege of all classes of believers to be evangelists. You can carry the tidings to one, or to one thousand. Philip was
182 Get your material well in hand, then close your Bible, go over every detail and make up your mind just what point or points you are going to make with your class. (1) THE SAMARITAN REVIVAL, vs. 1-8.
(a) The Scattered Church. (b) Samaria Evangelized. 1. The Preparation.
2. The Preacher. 3. The Preaching.
4. The People. 5. The Power. (a) The Scattered Church.
The murder of Stephen was the climax of Jewish antagonism,¿Jj-the torch which lighted the fires of perse cution. The Jewish leaders had tasted blood and wanted more. Saul of Tar sus was the leader in fierce fury of fiery hate and rage. (Acts 8:1; 22:20; Gal. 1 :13 ): “ For ye have heard of my conversa tion in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it.” Acting upon the authority of the chief priests (Acts 25:10) he spoiled their goods, abused their persons and imprisoned the disciples. None was spared. The result was that many of the disciples— probably all of the lead ing ones except the apostles—-were scattered as far as Cypress and Antioch (Acts 11:19). Religious conviction sometimes makes men diabolical instead of Divine in action, but God overrules evil for good. He made this persecution the forerunner of preaching. Scattered sparks become flames of fire. Satan often overreaches himself as in the case of Joseph, (Gen. 45:7-10). Martyrs make missionaries. The blood Of the martyrs is 1;he seed of the church. The servant is not greater than his Mas ter. (Matt. 10:24).
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